Is this worrying form the reason why Spurs can’t finish in the top four?

Tottenham have been battling to get back into the UEFA Champions League since their first, and only campaign in Europe’s elite competition back in the 2010-11 season.

Spurs surprised everyone in their debut Champions League campaign four years ago and reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Real Madrid over two legs.

Four seasons and three managers later and Spurs have yet to return to the competition they so desperately crave. Optimism builds before every season, and this year was no different as the Premier League looked more open than ever before coming into the 2014/15 campaign.

Spurs have fared well under Mauricio Pochettino in his first year in charge, reaching the League Cup final only to be beaten by Chelsea, and have improved as the season has gone on. They have only lost three of their last 16 in the Premier League and would be fourth in the table if the season started at the turn of the year.

Away results have cost Tottenham so far. They have only lost five times on the road, but four of those defeats came to sides above them in the table and that is what is ultimately costing Pochettino’s side as they chase Champions League football.

Spurs currently sit in seventh place with eight games to play and are six points behind Manchester United in fourth. Looking at the results this year, Tottenham are the only side in the top seven not to have beaten any of their Champions League chasing rivals away from home.

Table: Tottenham’s away record against the Premier League’s top six

The North London outfit have lost to Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool this year, conceding 13 goals in those four games while scoring just three.

They managed to get a point from the North London Derby clash with Arsenal at the Emirates back in September but their results away from home have not been good enough against the top sides.

It was a similar story last season as Spurs lost away to Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool without scoring a goal, conceding 15 times in those four games alone.

The team’s mentality in the big clashes has been questioned but home results against the top sides have been good.

Spurs have beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and Southampton at White Hart Lane already this season and still have Manchester City to play in front of their own fans on May 2.

Pochettino must find a way of getting Spurs to pick up wins away from home against the top sides. They came close at Liverpool back in February and were perhaps unlucky to lose that game. But performances at Chelsea and most recently Manchester United leave a lot to be answered.

The players seemed to lack confidence from the minute the game kicked off at Old Trafford two weeks ago and that is an attitude that must change if Spurs are to force their way back into the Champions League.

Do you think Tottenham’s away form in the main reason behind failure to finish in the top four? What needs to be changed for the club to succeed away from home?

2 Comments on Is this worrying form the reason why Spurs can’t finish in the top four?

How many teams have great results away to the top six? Id look at home defeats to WBA, Newcastle and Stoke. Not being able to beat Crystal Palace and dropping points at Sunderland as the real cause of no CL league position.

I think you will find that the reason Spurs won’t make the top four this season is that we have dropped to many points to mid table teams at home. Our points tally against the top 6 or 7 is ok it’s the next seven we have struggled with. Any team that’s beating the top 7 home and away will be looking to win the league not just make top 7.